It is quite extraordinary how the Catholic Church seems to go out if its way to alienate women. Fresh from their assault on nuns (see here and here), the US Conference of Catholic Bishops is now targeting Girl Scouts. Both my daughters were girl scouts and it would be tough to find a more wholesome or inoffensive group. But the old men of the Catholic Church seem to see it as a gateway to evil.
One of the long-running concerns is the Girl Scouts’ membership in the 145-nation World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
The association, known as WAGGGS, is on record as saying girls and young women “need an environment where they can freely and openly discuss issues of sex and sexuality.” It also has called for increased access to condoms to protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
Some critics want the Girl Scouts of the USA to pull out of the world group; the scouts aren’t budging.
Good for them.
You should read the full article for the sheer meanness and pettiness of the reasons for which the old men are upset at these young cookie-selling entrepreneurial women. Here’s one:
Last year, the Scouts angered some conservatives by accepting into a Colorado troop a 7-year-old transgender child who was born a boy but was being raised as a girl.
God forbid that a small child who is struggling with traumatic issues of sexual identity should find a welcoming community of fellow children. Much better if that child joins the Boy Scouts and gets repeatedly assaulted by the future Mitt Romneys of the world.
That is what Jesus would have wanted.
Just exactly what I thought (and said) -- the “reasons” are so incredibly petty.
This is something that the Catholic bishops, a group of elderly, male, professional virgins, just cannot accept. For various convoluted reasons, they think Baby Jesus cries every time a condom is used.
Notice how WAGGGS is promoting condom use for STD prevention. The bishops are ignoring that, concentrating their ire on condoms as contraception. The bishops couldn’t care less if life threatening diseases can be controlled. Their only concern is contraception.
Wow, Mano, I love the almost-last paragraph:
“God forbid that a small child who is struggling with traumatic issues of sexual identity should find a welcoming community of fellow children. Much better if that child joins the Boy Scouts and gets repeatedly assaulted by the future Mitt Romneys of the world.”
Ramen to that.
Personally, Mano, I am not a fan of the scouting movement (which includes the Guides), as it is religiously-inspired bigotry. I was actually constructively dismissed from a Scout troupe in London because I was an atheist. As a private organisation, the membership criteria are theirs to set, but as there is no separation of religion and state in the UK, gallingly, my taxes go to prop up an organisation that would not accept me as a member. The Scouts are homophobic and anti-freethought. Do you really regard that as wholesome?
AFAIK the Girl Scouts. (in the US) is not a religious movement like the Boy Scouts.
Also, Girlguidimg UK allow atheist girls to drop “My God” from the Promise,
However, even as far back as 1985 (wren I joined the Brownies) my pack had atheist girls in it. Local policy allowed them to drop god from the promise, and be a member of any local pack not affiliated to a church.
I know that in some parts of the country packs were linked with local churches, but in our New Town, all but one pack were linked to schools or community associations. The local Scout troops used the same discretion.
The Girls’ Brigade is still religious though.
Actually, it is the Boy Scouts that are the problem, which is what I implied in my statement that the child would be beaten up by the Boy Scouts. As far as I know, the Girl Scouts seem to be much more open-minded and tolerant.
Kimpatsu: You may find Libby Anne’s series on the Girl Scouts enlightening ( http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfeminism/2012/03/girl-scouts-and-boy-scouts-finding-the-girl-scouts.html )
As others have said, the GSA is not at all like how you describe, it’s actually a really good organization. It is unaffiliated with, and nothing like, the odious Boy Scouts of America.
And by the way, that’s precisely why the Catholic church is attacking the Girl Scouts: Not hateful enough.
And always have been, since way back in the 60’s in the Deep South, when I was a Scout leader and trainer of leaders. The Girl Scouts are nondiscrimatory and areligious; they are about empowering girls to get education and to take charge of their own lives, and that idea is something that the rulers of the Catholic Church can’t tolerate.
It’s my understanding that the Boy Scouts in the USA have pretty much been taken over by the Mormons. If that is true, it’s an interesting warning.
Mano, I believe being trans is a gender identity issue not sexual identity